2012 Inside Austin Gardens Tour: Studebaker Garden

The final garden on the Inside Austin Gardens Tour that I will be previewing is Renee Studebaker’s garden.  The tour is coming up on October 20.  More information can be found at www.insideaustingardens.org

The Studebaker garden is a garden of creation and repurpose.  Renee has done a great job of incorporating many found objects that she has created new uses for in her garden, whether it be for a grape vine to climb on, a welcoming entrance to a new section of the garden or a cool spot for birds to perch.

And Renee has created a garden that shows off its small spaces, areas to explore, sit, share a meal with friends. And by the way, all of the gardens on the tour feature small education sessions happening at scheduled times during the day. Renee Studebaker herself will be teaching a session called Grow Your Own Party Appetizers. If the amazing ratatouille she served us from her garden harvest is any indication, I would make sure you’re there for this short session. Times can be seen at www.insideaustingardens.org

This garden is a festival for pollinators.  I spied these two on the basil happily moving from flower to flower with plenty to go around.

Passion vine is always an eye catcher and this one was no exception.  Passion vine supports the gulf fritillary butterly’s life cycle. 

Repurposed lion’s heads greet you entering a new section of the garden. 

Lion’s tail offers fun texture, color and shape. 

And a pond with a resident Buddha offers a cool place for visitors, both birds and people.  Birds kept constantly slitting down during our visit to splash around. 

Renee Studebaker’s garden reinforced to me the idea that gardens don’t have to be huge to be useful.  And they don’t have to have a traditional feel.  But they do need to reflect a personality of the gardener- it seems that those gardens are some of the most impactful to their visitors.  And I think all of the gardens on this tour do a great job of creating that impact. 

Inside Austin Gardens Tour  sponsored by the Travis County Master Gardeners and Texas Agrilife Extension of Travis County

www.insideaustingardens.org
Date: October 20, 2012
Time: 9 am to 4 pm
Tickets for the tour (all of the gardens) are $15 in advance, or $20 on the day of the tour ($5 for individual gardens).

2012 Inside Austin Gardens Tour preview: Matthews and Doyle gardens

As I continue the preview of 5 of the gardens on the Inside Austin Gardens tour, I want to point out that there are 7 total gardens on the tour.  The two I won’t be covering are the Kastl garden and the Demonstration Garden maintained by the Travis County Master Gardeners.  Both gardens showcase wonderful example of smart gardening techniques such as Firewise considerations to minimize the risk of fire promotion by the landscape surrounding a home and water-wise gardening techniques including rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation.  More information on garden locations, tour hours and tickets can be found at www.insideaustingardens.org

When you visit the side-by-side Matthews and Doyle gardens, you’re struck by color and shapes.  Everywhere you look, bold color is utilized and shapes are carved out of the landscapes or integrated into them.  These gardens are playful and full of whimsy. Just the kind you want backing up to a school- which both do.  I can imagine those kids looking through the fences and wishing they could pay a visit. 

 

Here, a bottle tree centers the wheel-shaped garden with a Mexican bush sage performing beautifully to the side. 

A blue gate continues the hit of color through the garden. 

The colors continue in the Doyle garden with a bottle-and-everything-else tree. 

Geometric shapes form a path through decomposed granite in the lawnless front yard.  Rosemary creates a gorgeous edging all around this space. 

 

Fun additions like these lanterns draw your eyes up, down and all around. 

Stars add even more pizazz to the Doyle outdoor area. 

These two gardens play off of each other in their love for anything fun.  They are wonderful gardens to visit if you need to break out of feeling constrained by normal gardening techniques and design.  You can’t help but want to add a bit more color and fun to your own garden once you explore all the inspiration these two gardens have to offer. 

Inside Austin Gardens Tour  sponsored by the Travis County Master Gardeners and Texas Agrilife Extension of Travis County

www.insideaustingardens.org
Date: October 20, 2012
Time: 9 am to 4 pm
Tickets for the tour (all of the gardens) are $15 in advance, or $20 on the day of the tour ($5 for individual gardens).